Emphasising the need for consumers to have knowledge of their rights, Assistant Commissioner of Dharwad Gopalkrishna B. has said that because of lack of knowledge about consumer laws among general public, they are often cheated by some traders and service providers.
Presiding over a National Consumer Day programme in Dharwad on Friday, he said that as responsible citizens one should have knowledge of basic laws, which, in turn, will prevent them from being cheated. The programme was jointly organised by the Dharwad district administration, Sir Siddappa Kambli Law College, the Food and Civil Supplies Department, the District Legal Services Authority and the District Consumers Grievance Redressal Forum.
Mr. Gopalkrishna said that the need of the hour is to set up a healthy consumer society giving no room for cheating. He asked the officials of the Department Food and Civil Supplies to organise awareness programmes and educate people with the help of non-governmental organisations.
Asking people not to get duped by glorified advertisements, he asked them to make informed choices after thoroughly checking products before purchasing. Mr. Gopalkrishna said that law students should be proactive and help the common man get justice in case of them being cheated by consumer product companies.
Delivering a special talk, chairman of Janadesh District Information Cell and senior counsel Basavaprabhu Hosakeri said that the purpose of observing the day [National Consumer Day] is to sensitise consumers about their rights and responsibilities. On December 24, 1986, the Consumer Protection Act received the Presidential assent, he said.
“The Consumer Protection Act guaranteed six basic rights to consumers: right to choose a product; right to be protected from all kinds of hazardous goods; right to be informed about performance and quality of all products; right to be heard in all decision-making processes related to consumer interests; right to seek redressal, whenever consumer rights have been infringed and right to complete consumer education,” he said.
There are grievance redressal forums in the district, State and national level and consumers can approach them for justice, he explained.
Earlier senior judge and District Legal Services Authority member-secretary Pushpalata C.M. inaugurated the programme and highlighted its significance.
